Archives and Climate Change

Course Information

Instructor: Eira Tansey
Location: Online
Mode: Online
Dates: August 5 – August 9, 2024
Tuition: $1200.00

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Description

Climate change is one of the greatest contemporary threats to archives. Increasingly severe disasters like hurricanes, floods, storms, and wildfires pose immediate dangers. Longer-term trends such as migration and rising sea levels may necessitate decisions concerning the geographic relocation of archives. Archivists and cultural heritage professionals, regardless of where they are located, should understand the threats related to climate change and how it impacts our work and cultural heritage institutions.    

Participants in this course will: 

  1. Learn about the basic science behind climate change  
  2. Explore political governance challenges related to mitigation and adaptation
  3. Develop personalized strategies for addressing climate grief and anxiety
  4. Assess how climate change impacts their local region and institutions
  5. Explore how climate change impacts archives and cultural heritage institutions, both in the short and long-term
  6. Develop skills in using simple climate change data visualization and mapping tools

This week-long course will take place online between 10 AM and 3:30 PM Eastern. Participants will be expected to participate in an online class environment for two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon each day of the course. The course will involve a mix of asynchronous readings, live lectures, class discussions, and workshops using web-based climate change data visualization and mapping tools. Although the course focus is on archives, all information and cultural heritage workers are welcome. 

Requirements

A short list of pre-readings will be shared with participants prior to the course. Participants will be expected to read additional materials during our week together, and have a willingness to participate in class discussions and learn web-based data visualization and mapping tools.

Offered

2024, 2022

Credit

Completion of this course helps to meet requirements for one of the following certificate requirements:

  • 1 of 3 elective credit courses for Certificate in Rare Books and Manuscripts, or
  • 1 of 2 elective credit courses for Certificate in Librarianship, Activism, and Justice